In the past, computing applications such as computer games and multimedia applications used controllers, remotes, keyboards, mice, or the like to allow users to manipulate game characters or other aspects of an application. More recently, computer games and multimedia applications have begun employing cameras and software gesture recognition engines to provide a human computer interface (“HCI”). With HCI, user gestures are detected, interpreted and used to control game characters or other aspects of an application.
Conventional HCI systems have not been used to measure caloric burn. Typically, caloric burn may be measured by conventional exercise equipment indirectly and mechanically. In particular, a user performs some work on a piece of equipment which is calibrated to determine caloric burn based on the amount of work performed on the equipment. These systems do not measure caloric burn of the person directly. Moreover, such systems typically do not measure work performed by a user unless the user sets the equipment in motion. Thus, even though a user may be performing work and burning calories while standing still, this work is not measured by the equipment.